Spelljammer Spelljammer Shows Up In The Wild - Check Out The Tables of Contents

Copies of Spelljammer are starting to show up. Mike Long of Tribality is in receipt of the books and has tweeted some photos!

 

[Eyes of Nine]

I look forward to reading the disclaimers, often the best part of a D&D book...

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I look forward to reading the disclaimers, often the best part of a D&D book...

And there's three of them!

 

[vecna00]

I look forward to reading the disclaimers, often the best part of a D&D book...

There's a link upthread to a flip through the first book on Twitter, including the disclaimer!

I'd link it directly, but I'm not sure if you want to wait until you have the book in your hands.

 

[Charlaquin]

I of course reserve the right to change my mind after seeing the book, but to me this looks a lot like the death knell for any prospect of DS as an official 5e setting. They've failed a couple of times to come up with a psionicist class they're happy with, and the handling of slavery is going to be a tricky call to make. And now a very Dark-Sunny world makes an appearance in the Spelljammer campaign, and a bunch of classic Dark Sun monsters in the Spelljammer monster supplement? Yeah, this is what it would look like if WotC threw in the towel on DS 5e but just wanted to throw a couple of easter eggs out there to feed the nostalgia engines.

I agree with your conclusion but not your thought process. They have psionic feats and subclasses, and I think they would have no qualms about using those for Dark Sun’s psionics. And the slavery thing is no more of a barrier to releasing Dark Sun than it is to having drow in the game (which is to say, not a barrier). And I definitely think Doomspace was not meant to be an Easter Egg, but that it was actually planned to be a cameo of Dark Sun, until something (probably feedback from internal playtesting) convinced them to file the serial numbers off. But, I do think that decision is an indication that they don’t know what to do with Dark Sun and accordingly they probably won’t be dedicating any more effort to converting it to 5e.

 

[JEB]

the handling of slavery is going to be a tricky call to make.

Paizo may have made things even tougher for Wizards with the announcement that they would no longer feature slavery in future products. I can't imagine Wizards wants to appear less forward-thinking than Paizo.

 

[grimslade]

Of course, you all know I think they shouldn't have done that.

What's the opposite of preaching to the choir?

I believe the term is 'If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit by me.'

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Paizo may have made things even tougher for Wizards with the announcement that they would no longer feature slavery in future products. I can't imagine Wizards wants to appear less forward-thinking than Paizo.

It appearntly does not mention slavery by name in the Neogi's entry in the new Spelljammer book, but they still have the enslave ability, and their lore is basically the same, viewing others as being property or prey.

 

[grimslade]

I agree with your conclusion but not your thought process. They have psionic feats and subclasses, and I think they would have no qualms about using those for Dark Sun’s psionics. And the slavery thing is no more of a barrier to releasing Dark Sun than it is to having drow in the game (which is to say, not a barrier). And I definitely think Doomspace was not meant to be an Easter Egg, but that it was actually planned to be a cameo of Dark Sun, until something (probably feedback from internal playtesting) convinced them to file the serial numbers off. But, I do think that decision is an indication that they don’t know what to do with Dark Sun and accordingly they probably won’t be dedicating any more effort to converting it to 5e.

I think you're right. There will be no more effort devoted to psionics other than feats or backgrounds. I do think Dark Sun will be reimagined considerably, so either a time jump or remix of both boxsets and 4E. Defiling and Preserver magic hasn't been UA tested explicitly. I would think based on the Dragonlance announcement, there will be another game/product attached with DarkSun setting material.

 

[overgeeked]

Glad I'm not the only one who sees the importance of a Barsoom type planet! I am building my own home system but there will be a "fantasy Mars" and it sounds like a lot of the Dark Sun monsters will go nicely there, as well as a "fantasy Venus" of sultry jungles and swamps and lush forests. Home to the nice elves.

If you dig Burroughs’ Barsoom, check out Leigh Brackett’s Sea Kings of Mars.

 

[Parmandur]

My guess is they're looking to 2024 and beyond. In two years' time they won't need to have that advice as the core books will be updated to include them.

Yeah, I think you are right. Honestly, they might make that more explicit with attest material soon enough.